CASKA: Chicago Area Sea Kayakers Association

Sarah Hartman Great Slave Lake Solo Adventure: The Trailer

I'm sure that we will hear much more from Sarah Hartman about her recent adventure on the East Arm of the Great Slave Lake. She has a standing invitation to do a presentation at the 2012 edition of Canoecopia, for example. Just to tantilize us, Sarah sent the following dispatch, likely composed during her long flight back from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories via Toronto. Consider it a preview of coming attractions.

 

East Arm Great Slave Lake: Trip Summary

By: Sarah Hartman

 

If Ontario is the Boundary Waters on steroids, Great Slave Lake is Canada on steroids. I've fished some fabulous Canadian wilderness; this is beyond anything I've seen. It's easy to see why McLeod Bay is under consideration to become a national park.

 

The decision to go solo was made deliberatively and with consultation with friends, coaches, paddling mentors, and authorities (and locals) in Yellowknife.  Tom Bamonte had warned me a couple months prior to the trip that things might not align for him. I had a lot of time to think, work through the 'what-ifs', and come to a decision that was right for me.

 

I discovered I DO enjoy kayak touring. My longest day was a little over 20 nm (all my measurements were as-the-crow-flies). My best average speed was 3.5 knots/hr. Camp chores, boat maintenance, chart work, personal care, and journaling took 5-6 hours each day. I have NO desire to take off to Australia to break Freya's record any time soon.

 

Most days McLeod Bay was flat to 6" chop. Two days I had to pull off early due to building sea state. Four days were spent in camp due to conditions, and the trip ended a day early due to those same conditions.  If I had been on the familiar waters of Lake Michigan, or had the luxury of marine weather forecasts, or had been with a companion, my decisions may have been different. For the time and the circumstances, they were the right decisions for me.

 

Fourteen days out was wonderful. I really got disconnected from Chicago life but felt like I was too long away from the responsibilities left behind. I was ready to come home but with mixed feelings. I certainly needed another five days to see all McLeod Bay had to offer.

 

Learnings:

- It's ok to be by yourself. Just be smart about it.

- It's easier with others though because you can split up the work (and/or have somone to chat with on the weather days).

- I'll for sure go solo again.

 

Gear I'm expecially glad I had:

- Silk Coccoon sleeping bag liner. Worth the price!

- Storm Cag: great wind breaker for around camp and also to protect the dry suit from rough rocks while doing the morning cooking.

- Dry suit: It was really too warm most days but a wet suit would have been too cold.

- Detailed topo maps to fill in the missing info on the nautical chart of the East Arm and the Snowdrift and Reliance area maps.

- A fleece layer for wearing around camp.

Gear that I wish I had brought:

- Toe nail clippers will be added to the kit

 

Gear that I forgot that I wish I hadn't:

- Thermos for hot water. (Have no idea how I forgot that one but I felt not quite properly equipped without it.)

 

New piece of gear that I tried and liked:

- Liqui-Bait Wallet by Plano. Less expensive than a Pelican case and just as water proof.

 

Paddle hard, learn well, follow your passions wherever they lead.

 

Sarah

 

 

 

 

Sarah Hartman Great Slave Lake Solo Adventure Update V--No Movement

Sarah remains perched on the bay next to Thompson Landing, where she landed yesterday. The forecast is much better, with winds at 15 mph and dropping in speed. Friday might be a good last day of paddling for Sarah. Or maybe she just really likes Thompson Landing. We will find out soon enough.

Sarah Hartman Great Slave Lake Solo Adventure Update IV--Movement to Mainland

Sarah has moved from a tiny island off of Thompson Landing to a spot on the mainland not far away. She is in a broad bay that likely is very suitable for a bush plane pick up if she remains there until Saturday.

The weather forecast suggests that she might well have to stay put. There is a strong wind warning in effect and winds are currently about 25 mph. Winds will continue in the 15 mph range through Saturday. By being on the mainland, however, she has some opportunities to explore the rugged country on foot.

Sarah Hartman Great Slave Lake Solo Adventure Update III--Gale

Sarah has spent another day on a flat, S-shaped island just off of Thompson Landing. Conditions have deteriorated and she is in a gale with 35 mph winds with rain. One can only imagine what that is like on what looks to be a relatively flat island exposed to the full force of the winds and waves.

The winds are forecast to diminish to 20 mph by morning and through Wednesday and the rain will be tapering off. On Thursday and Friday the winds are forecast to drop to 15 mph. This might allow Sarah to make some forward progress towards her Saturday rendezvous with the bush plane.

KAYAKER DEATHS AND THEIR MEANING

_{Kevin Dammen}

 

By: Tom Bamonte 

The recent news of the tragic death of a young kayaker in Lake Superior has prompted lots of discussion in the paddling community. Kevin Dammen sounded like a great guy. The reporting on his death portrays someone who was fully engaged in life. His obituary summed up his life as follows:

He was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church, co-founder of the Winona State University Ski Club, member of the Winona State University cross country team, and co-founder of the J.C. Hormel Nature Center Ski Race. Kevin enjoyed running, skiing, unicycling, storm chasing, kayaking, slack lining, online electronic repair, hiking, camping and spending time with family and friends.

When the news of the incident reached the university a large group of his fellow students gathered spontaneously to mourn. Clearly, he will be missed.  

The news reports indicate that Kevin died in an honorable fashion. Kevin, his brother and two others were paddling together in the Apostle Islands and ran into trouble when they traveled from sheltered waters to the open lake. There was a small craft advisory that day. One member of the group went in the water and Kevin tipped over when he tried to turn his kayak around and come back to aid his companion. With Kevin and his paddling partner both in the water Kevin urged the two kayakers remaining in their boats to rescue his partner and come back for him later. As a result he died alone in 47 degree water. His paddling partner lives.

It is important to analyze what went wrong on this trip and learn from the mistakes. The lack of a marine radio, not wearing one's wetsuit, the evident lack of self-rescue skills and equipment (e.g., paddle float) all deserve mention. There may have been a failure to consult the marine weather forecast. Surely, there was a point when the group left protected water and first encountered the full force of open lake conditions where they could and should have turned back. The decision of the two rescuers to take Kevin's direction and tow one swimmer to shore while leaving Kevin alone in the open water is debatable.

The lessons of this kayaking death and others go beyond technique and judgment, however. Let's face it, death and the risk of death permeats kayaking, or at least the "serious" form of kayaking to which many paddlers aspire. Many of us are probably inspired to kayak because it is precisely the risk of death that awakens in us that special kind of alertness that makes us feel truly and fully alive.

If we aren't considering the prospect of our death and the death of our paddling partners each time we kayak then we are fooling ourselves. So much can go wrong. A boat roars out of the fog and collides with a kayak. Dehydration, cold and exhaustion at the end of a long day make one tippy just as the waves pick up and you're over. The grab loop tucked in the cockpit holds one under just long enough to panic and gasp. A sudden off-shore wind tips you over and blows your boat away and you had the bad luck to chose to chance it without your wetsuit that day. An unexpected breaking wave pops your sprayskirt and suddenly you are sitting in cold water in an unstable boat miles from a landing spot. The list goes on and on. As we learned from Kevin's death, even a group of four able-bodied kayakers not that far from land is not enough to prevent a death.

The meaning of a kayaker's death is akin to the meaning we draw at Halloween. Halloween is the time of year when the boundary between the dead and the living supposedly becomes thinner, even permeable. In a similar fashion the death of a kayaker is an opportunity for us to acknowledge and come closer to Mother Nature, the Forces of Nature, God's Creation (pick your metaphor) and take special note of its relentless ability to thrust death upon the foolish, the smart, the innocent and the deserving alike. As the deputy sheriff involved in the incident so aptly observed, "Lake Superior is unforgiving. . . people underestimate the power of the cold and the power of this majestic lake."  

Death gives the sport, the way, of kayaking its meaning. If no one died kayaking then we would be practicing something like tiddlywinks or knitting. Interesting and enjoyable, even useful, no doubt, but not something that engages body and mind so completely as kayaking. The risk of death gives kayaking a sort of mythic dimension that these more routine activities lack. Each time we put it on the line with a lengthy crossing or by challenging big surf or taking a long trip along unfamiliar shores we are reenacting in our own way the great nautical adventures chronicled by Homer, in the Bible, and by fleets of novelists and adventurers since then. Their words and our practice come down to trying to make sense of a world where people like Kevin are snatched from life way too soon.

However tragic and unnecessary their deaths, we should thank the kayakers who died for reminding us of Death, our ever-present paddling companion. Obviously, we should study the failings that may have led to their deaths and adjust our techniques, equipment and risk-tolerances accordingly. We should go beyond that, however, and ask ourselves each time we paddle the ultimate questions--are we ready to die and are all the good things associated with kayaking worthy of death.

We don't know if Kevin asked those questions as he floated alone in Lake Superior, the life-giving heat draining from his body. I would like to think that he considered the richness of what he had received and given back to his family and his community and felt that he had lived a full life in his 20 years. I hope he had faith that his two companions in boats would be able to get his buddy back to shore alive. He may well have understood the heroic nature of his decision to stay in the water and give his buddy a better chance to live. In that moment of reflection Kevin might well have decided that he had no regrets about dying.

Shouldn't we use the stories about kayaker deaths as an injunction to live our lives and paddle our kayaks in a way such that if death comes to us on the water we're ready and reconciled to its arrival. We want to be able to say, as this young man hopefully said to himself, I've lived a full and responsible life and I've done the best I can on the water to make the right decisions. The rest we must leave to the forces as powerful and as mysterious as Lake Superior that determine our fate.

Blazing a Plath: Saturday's Lake Michigan Water Trail Celebration

 

Bill Burton Approaching Burns Harbor in Sweet New Boat

 

By: Tom Bamonte

Saturday was a day of celebration for the region's paddlers. Erik Olson, Bill Burton, Gary Steinbauer and I got an early start, launching from the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk (PLR) at about 9 a.m. For the next hour and a half we explored the industrial area to the east of this pocket park.

Entrance to Burns Harbor--Where's the Warning Sign?

When we got to the entrance of Burns Harbor a fisherman warned us against proceeding into the harbor. We had wanted to paddle to a moored freighter. The fisherman mentioned $1,500 fines and unfriendly security personnel in fast boats. Sure enough, at one side of the harbor entrance--but not the side we were on--there was a warning sign.

Burns Harbor Warning Sign

From Burns Harbor we paddled to Marquette Park in Gary to join a flotilla of paddlers who were paddling to the PLR for an celebration of the dedication of the first leg of the Lake Michigan Water Trail. It appears that there were over 30 paddlers in our group. Other paddlers joined us later from a route up the river that empties into Lake Michigan next to the PLR.

Part of the Kayak Flotilla

Along the way, I got a chance to talk to Dan Plath. Dan has been one of the key forces behind the Lake Michigan Water Trail and perhaps the person most responsible for the opening of the first stretch of the trail, which extends from Chicago around the southern curve of Lake Michigan. The trail offers camping spots and other support facilities for kayakers at regular intervals along the route. Dan is also one of the key members of the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association.

Dan filled me in on some of the challenges faced by the Water Trail organizers and outlined how he and his colleagues (including CASKA's Gary Mechanic) built a coalition of public agencies, private industry and landowners to support the Water Trail. Other than a few folks who at public hearings raised the specter of kayakers bringing mayham, diseases and more to local communities (Dan has the tape),there has been little opposition to the Water Trail. Dan did report that he expected the most difficult challenge to be finding landing sites and camping areas in the stretch of Lake Michigan that runs through the North Shore suburbs of Chicago. Watch for upcoming opportunities to make your support for the Water Trail known in those communities.

Pavilion at Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk

The celebration was held in the pavilion at the PLR. It is a LEED-certified structure that has inspired me ever since I first visited last fall. There is a simplicity and grace to the design that is very nice. The swoops of its curves express quite nicely the forces of the winds and waves that have shaped the Indiana Dunes.

Bill Burton, Erik Olson and Gary Steinbauer at the Celebration

Dan was one of the speakers, sharing his vision of the Lake Michigan Water Trail as the longest water trail in the world. I'm sure I'm not the only one inspired by his quiet, self-effacing model of effective leadership.

Dan Plath

There was more to celebrate that day. Kristen and Tim Flentye were spotted doting on their youngster, approaching a first birthday in August and no doubt expecting a new Epic racing boat. Tom and Peg Heineman were there. Tom's circumnavigation of Lake Michigan a few years ago and the struggles he had to find camping spots in many stretches helped inspire the Lake Michigan Water Trail effort. Humberto Garcia was back on the water for the first time in many months, after a difficult year, and it was great to seem him pulsating with energy once again. Jim Des Jardins and Beverly Serrell added their usual good cheer and panache. I even witnessed Mike Croak back where he belongs, in a sea kayak.

And let's not forget Captain Michael Taylor. Earlier in the week he had made what I thought was a very rash move, namely, making it known on the CASKA Yahoo Group that he had gotten his roll. My experience--personal and otherwise--is that the gap between hitting your first roll and getting a reliable roll is measured in months if not years.

When I saw Michael on Saturday I teased him a bit about his bold proclamation and made him promise to show off his new roll. I fully expected him to fail and I planned to use this as the basis for a blog post on hubris, roll techniques, the school of hard knocks, and the like. Darned if Michael did not just hit one roll, he hit several in succession with aplomb. That too was cause for celebration on this sweet day of friendship, effective leadership and the successful opening of the Lake Michigan Water Trail

Bill Burton--Still Looking for His Paddle Blades

A New Era For The Chicago River

By: Tom Bamonte

In a truly extraordinary development the EPA has ordered the State of Illinois to impose water quality standards designed to make some key segments of the Chicago River and the Cal-Sag Channel fit for swimming. Imagine practicing rolls and rescues in the Chicago River! 

This was an unexpected development. The big fight in the multi-year rule-making proceeding that is still pending in the Illinois Pollution Control Board was whether the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago should disinfect sewage before pumping it into the Chicago River system. Even the environmental groups who were among the many proponents of disinfection did not go the next step and argue that the Clean Water Act required that the River reach a swimability standard.

There was one notable exception: CASKA and the many paddling and rowing groups who joined in a statement filed with the IPCB two years ago. In our statement we supplied evidence and arguments why the region should aim higher and embrace a swimability standard on those stretches of the river system that were already supporting extensive recreational use. In addition through this statement and a variety of public comments and testimony we rebutted the argument that the Chicago River is too dangerous and too unappealing to ever support anything other than sewage and barge traffic. We pointed out that the protected waters of the River offer a paddling environment that is in many respects safer and more inviting than Lake Michigan.

We can't say for sure that the paddling community's evidence and singular exhortations to aim higher are what inspired the EPA's dramatic action directing state and local authorities to implement a swimability standard. What is certain is the paddling community will have lots more to do to help ensure that the State and local authorities do what is necessary to comply with the EPA's directive. Already there are signs that the MWRDGC is digging in its heels and will oppose the EPA order.  

The day of the order I was biking on the Division Avenue bridge over the Chicago River.  There arrayed on the River were about 20 kayaks from the Kayak Chicago launch a half mile to the north.  The paddlers were new for the most part, veering back and forth, but they seemed quite happy to be out on the river on a nice sunny day. It made me realize that it was our presence on the River over the years in brightly colored kayaks that has helped inspire the vision of a clean and safe river that is now mandated by the EPA.

 Friends of the Chicago River is a community group that has been very supportive of the paddling community--including sponsoring the Flatwater Classic.  The group will surely play a key role in pressuring the MWRDGC to comply with the EPA's directive. 

Geneva Kayak Center Update: Ryan Rushton Interview

In just a few years after its opening the Geneva Kayak Center established itself as an integral part of the paddling community.  GKC offered quality boats and gear and plenty of pool sessions and Kayak and Coffees to use them.  It matched students with top-notch instructors, and some of these students have now become into instructors in their own right.  GKC organized trips across North America appealing to a variety of interests and skill levels.  GKC hosted special events such as visits by paddling luminaries from around the world.

The good news is that GKC expects to continue doing these things and more for many years to come.  However, the Great Recession has taken its toll and prompted GKC to reassess and retool.  Tom Bamonte interviewed Ryan Rushton about GKC--past, present and future.

Ryan Rushton

Question:  In the past couple of years Geneva Kayak Center has opened
and closed a store in Chicago, faced the biggest economic downturn since
the Great Depression, and recently moved out of its Geneva location?  What
happened and what did you learn about the experience?

Ryan:  A kayak center in the city of Chicago on Lake Michigan had been a dream of
mine since we had opened the Geneva shop.  We seemed to have the ideal
situation in place when we investigated the space that became the
Lakefront shop.  Delays in permits pushed our opening from the spring of
2008 into the spring of 2009 and what came with it - the Great Recession
and one of the coldest summers of late.   The recession and cold/short
season had us down severely from even the most meager of projections for
our first year in business at Lakefront.   While there were other minor
factors including access, the major issues with Lakefront was the economic
downturn.  With a continued negative economic forecasted for 2010, we had
to pull the plug on Lakefront for the overall good of the company.

GKC Chicago Lakefront

Many people are wondering what happened with the Geneva shop.  Our lease
was set to expire this month for the building that we have been in for the
past five and a half years.  The lease that we signed worked for us when
the economy was good and boats were selling, but not workable in the
current economic climate.  We had hoped to renegotiate the lease to a more
affordable rate and stay in the building, but were not able to work with
our landlord.

The past two years have included many highs as well as growing pains.  The
major lesson is that we have to do business differently in the current
economic climate.  Both our paddling school and adventure paddling program
have grown and been largely successful over the last two years.  We need
keep a tighter reign on inventory purchases to adapt to the market.  We
also need to keep our overhead costs, particularly rent, in line with what
a business like ours can afford.

Question:  What's the current status of GKC and what are your plans for
GKC?

Ryan:  We are currently looking at several locations for a re-opening
in the spring of 2011. We hope to announce the new location by the end of
January.

Action shot from GKC website

Question:  What is GKC doing in 2011?

Ryan:  We hope that all will be "business as usual" in 2011.  This
includes boat and gear sales, trips, classes and tours. I'm very excited
about what 2011 has in store for GKC!

Question:  Can I use GKC to purchase boats and gear?  If so, how?

Ryan:  GKC currently maintains all of it's lines of boats and gear.  We
have been placing many customer orders during the transition period
between closing the Geneva shop and opening the new location.  Orders can
be placed by calling us at (630) 232-0320 or emailing us at
info@genevakayak.com.

Question:  Jim Walsh did a great job repairing boats.  Does GKC still offer boat repair services?

Ryan:  Yes, Jim is still doing repairs.  In fact, we're currently installing a footpump with a custom bulkhead placement for a CASKA member.

Question:  GKC brought together many of the top paddlers in the area to
offer instruction.  What instructional services will GKC be offering in 2011?

Ryan:   We feel like we've built the top sea kayak school between the
coasts.  In regards to our sea kayak training programs, we'll continue to
build upon last year's successful new programs, the 2 day Coastal Kayak
Weekend and 3 day Open Water Training Weekend.   We've done some
tinkering with our training programs and are adding a new class that is a
"next step" beginner class.

We are also very excited about the new Yorkville whitewater park, where we are
expanding our excellent programming into the whitewater and open canoe
disciplines.  Expect to see similar "leveled" courses and some exciting
workshops for whitewater paddlers and canoeists.

Old GKC Store in Geneva

Question:  The GKC website mentions that there will be GKC outposts.
What do you envision for such outposts and when will we see the first one?

Ryan:  Looking into the future, paddlers should expect to see two
different approaches for GKC - Centers and Outposts.  A center will be a
main place of business that includes retail, courses, local tours, and
rentals.  Basically, everything you've come to expect from GKC.  We will
also be looking at opening up some "outposts". These outposts will be
smaller satellite locations that offer various services ranging from
repairs to outfitting to kayak rentals to classes and tours, but not
everything that is offered at a center.

Question:  What about your personal plans as a paddler.  What are those
plans and how have recent events at GKC affected your paddling goals?

Ryan:  2010 was a big year for me on a personal paddling level.  In the
spring, I was assessed as a ACA L5 Advanced Open Water Instructor Trainer while running a five
day L5 course under the supervision of Dale Williams.  I was slated to be
involved with a major sea kayak expedition in January of 2011 but my wife
and I are expecting our third child in March and neither of us were
excited about the proposition of me being half way around the world while
she was eight months pregnant.  With a fluctuating business situation and
a busy personal life, I'll seek out some other shorter expedition
opportunities in the near future.  Beyond that, I'll continue to enjoy
leading some of GKC's paddling adventures and training both instructors
and paddlers alike.

Question:  Any words of advice for entrepreneurs and small business
owners from your experience?

Ryan:  Maintain flexibility and creativity.  Don't overcommit to
long term leases and inventory purchases.

Question:  Is there anything the local paddling community can do to help
ensure the success of local outfitters, shops and instructional centers?

Ryan:  The paddling community is integral to the success of paddling
businesses here in Illinois.  If paddlers want to keep these businesses in
Illinois, we need your support in many ways.  Here are a few suggestions:
* Get Involved with the shop or business.  Paddling is a very "relational"
sport and small businesses always need "friends" to be successful.
* If you are planning a boat or gear purchase, look locally first.  We can
meet or beat deals found elsewhere if you'd give us the chance.
* Referrals.  This is a small community and if we're going to grow the
sport, we constantly need to be introducing new people to the sport of
kayaking.

  Here's to GKC getting ahead in 2011.

Rare Breed: Another Lake Michigan Circumnavigator--Stephen Brede

By:  Tom Bamonte

Stephen Brede, a resident of Petosky, Michigan is embarked on a circumnavigation of Lake Michigan.  He is currently in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is paddling in a counter-clockwise direction.  You can follow his progress here.  Last summer Stephen circumnavigated Lake Huron, so he is clearly bitten by the long distance paddling bug.

Chicago's own Tom Heineman circumnavigated Lake Michigan a few years ago.  Tom has offered to host Stephen when he arrives in Chicago.  No doubt Tom will inform him that the only proper way to circumnavigate Lake Michigan is in a clockwise manner. 

Aurora Paddlesports Festival June 12 & 13

Aurora Paddlesports Festival

June 12 & 13, 2010

Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mastodon Lake, Phillips Park, Aurora, IL

CASKA is one of the sponsors for this open to the public paddlesports event. Reminiscent of years past Paddle in the Park, it is not only a place to network and learn about local clubs, local outfitters, paddlesport centers, and places to paddle. It is a place to get your feet wet, or if you're a more adventurous, to get all of you wet. There will be introductory and not so introductory classes on land and on water, fleets of boats to try and a film festival!

This will be the 2nd annual two-day canoeing and kayaking festival with low-cost on-water lessons in solo and tandem canoeing, river and sea kayaking; test-paddling of canoes and kayaks; on-land programs about paddling skills and adventures, paddling safety and more. Meet Illinois paddling clubs, paddle sport retailers, and river conservation organizations.

The festival admission is free. Paddling lessons are $ 20.00 for adults and $ 10.00 for children 10-17 when accompanied by adult taking the same lesson. Test paddling canoes and kayaks is $ 10.00 adults only for the day with a signed waiver. The film festival is $ 2.00 per showing.

LOCATION:

Mastodon Lake was so named because the remains of the extinct elephant-like Mastodon were found in this 28 acre fishing lake in the 1930's and visitors to the lake can see a life size sculpture of a Mastodon and a restored prairie grass development, as well as enjoy a one mile walking path.

For more detailed information, directions, sign up forms and waivers go to:

http://www.illinoispaddling.org/upcoming-events/2ndannualaurorapaddlesportsfestiveltobeheldjune1213th

CASKA will also staff a table to provide information about our club, safety and activities. We will be putting out a call for members to sign up to represent our club through out the event. Keep your calendar open.

To sign up to staff the table contact:   Bill Burton, pudmuppy@hotmail.com or lwstone@yahoo.com

Lyn Stone